Time for Tea!

Today we were invited to a tea party . . .a mother daughter tea party. Lori Reichanadter and her mother put together quite a special event and while we are not frilly girls, we had a nice time and can appreciate all their hard work.

The table was set just so and I enjoyed some of the best iced tea I have ever tasted. (Jayme, maybe you can get the recipe.) I cannot imagine the time it took to make all those little treats! Now that's patience. Thank you ladies for making such a special day for us!

Starwishes

For as long as he has gathered them, Noah has called them 'Starwishes.' I love that. They do look like little stars shooting out of the center. But today, I'm calling them an object lesson for myself. I was trying to take a picture of one, and my camera kept focusing on the background - dead debris, and weeds - I'm not sure what I was doing wrong, but it took several attempts before I got this great close up of a starwish. The background finally faded away.

Then I tried another closeup of this pretty little flower, and again I could only get the background to come into focus. Some of it looks a little interesting - and the clover is even pretty, but there is also more debris. Again, for a split second, things finally came into focus and I saw the bright yellow, softly textured petals, the tiny stamen and even a happy little napping bug - how tiny he must be!

Later when I was looking at my pictures, I realized that these four reminded me of my life sometimes. . . ok, too often. I want to focus on the Lord and my walk with Him, but I often let the other stuff get in the way and take away my focus, take priority. But this stuff in the background, though interesting is just clutter that I'm allowing into my life. It is taking my focus from my Lord and when I bring it back to Him - there is the true beauty and I find the things I was missing . . .the awesome little details.

Two Months

Look at me! I'm two months already.

Just Ducky

I put two duckies on the bar of Annabelle's carseat to give her something to look at. She really likes them and yesterday, she even reached for one.

What more fun could you ask for?

Sunday evening the youth group had an activity that included taping balloons together. I'm not sure what else it entailed, but a balloon sculpture was left behind. The youth pastor gave the balloons to Noah and he and Bronwen had lots of fun in the land of make believe.

A little Slice of Heaven

What a beautiful day! How could it be anything else when you wake up to these precious faces? But this morning, one face is missing. Noah spent the night at Mom and Dad's last night so I have the girls to myself. After being couped up in the house for a week with Bronwen and her rota virus, we were very anxious to get some fresh air and sunshine. We went for a long walk and after getting cleaned up we went over to Mom and Dad's to spend the afternoon with Mom and Noah.

Bronwen tells me about her animals and sings Jesus Loves Me (her favorite song.)

Annabelle really enjoyed this photo session.

Hope likes to go for a ride in just about anything. Earlier, Noah was pushing her around in a stroller.

While Bronwen and Annabelle napped, we enjoyed the backyard. It is so heavenly back there this time of year. Everything is fresh, green and blooming and the colors and hues . . . Ah, so deep and vibrant! Here are some of the colors from their gardens.

Annabelle felt the cool of the grass for the first time. She wasn't quite sure about it at first and then she really started to object.

Big brother to the rescue to make everything alright again!

Sweet Georgia Brown

Ok, getting started has been more difficult than I thought. I've come back several times and the initial inspiration is gone. I know this must be easy, but it's now a few weeks later, the rain is gone and I'm having trouble creating. Simple things like what font to use escape my decision making prowess. Maybe it's sleep deprivation?
I got this cute email from Jayme today, one of those where you answer questions about yourself and then forward it to a bunch of your friends, one of those I don't usually take the time to do, not since having kids anyway. But this one was a little different and I had fun coming back to it throughout the day to complete it. (Jayme's was fun to read too.) So here's mine. . .

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST OR GROUP, cleverly answer these questions...

(Artist: Harry Connick Jr.)

1.) Are you a male or female? She
2.) Describe yourself: You Don’t Know Me. I Come With Love, I Pray on Christmas, I Need to be in Love (A Blessing and a Curse) I’ll Never be Jealous Again. One Last Pitch, Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone.
3.) How do you feel about yourself? Oh, My Dear, Between Us, I Could Write a Book, I’m Gonna be the First one With Imagination To love the Language. If I Could Give You More . .
4.) Describe where you currently live: Think of the Time I Save, On the Street Where You Live . . . On the Sunny Side of the Street. On Green Dolphin Street.
5.) If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Oh! Ain’t That Sweet, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? For Once in my Life, Way Down Yonder in New Orleans On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe. But Not For Me. Good to be Home.
6.) Your best friends are: Forever For Now
7.) Your favorite colour is: Promise Me You’ll Remember, Buried in Blue
8.)You Know that... It’s Alright With Me, I Wish You Love
9.) What's the weather like: Baby It’s Cold Outside!
10.) If your life was a television show, what would it be called? A Moment with Me.
11.) What is life to you? The World Around Us, Racing With the Clock, A Wink and a Smile, The Bare Necessities. . . All These Things.
12.) What is the best advice you have to give? Hey There, Slow Down, Follow the Music Further and Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me. Stay Awake. Honestly Now, Safety’s Just Danger Out of Place!
13.) If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Maybe, The Gypsy. Maybe Jill, or Sweet Georgia Brown

Happy Mother's Day!

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh

The sweetest sounds to mortals givenAre heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.~William Goldsmith Brown

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving